Signing Johnson the right move for Cowboys

The Cowboys have serious Super Bowl aspirations after starting the season 2-0.

With that in mind, Jerry Jones wants to make sure he has all the weapons needed to prevent his team from fading in December like it did so many times under Bill Parcells.

Thus the signing of bad boy Tank Johnson.

The Cowboys are thin at nose tackle after starter Jason Ferguson was lost for the season in the opener with a biceps injury. Jay Ratliff, Ferguson’s replacement, has played well, but he’s a converted defensive end who at 6 foot 4, 298 pounds is small for an NFL nose tackle.

The fear is Ratliff will wear down as the season progresses, leaving the defense vulnerable in the second half of the season when they play Washington twice. The Redskins are also 2-0, and Joe Gibbs loves to run the ball.

Johnson has a troubled past, but the thinking in Dallas is he’s learned his lesson after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell slapped him with an eight-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

The Cowboys also have a locker room filled with good character guys who are unlikely to spend any late hours with Tank. Guys like Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Bradie James, Roy Williams and Terence Newman are serious about their business, and the Cowboys hope they will rub off on Johnson.

Then there’s this: The Cowboys have a history under Jones of signing troubled players. Alonzo Spellman played well for the Cowboys in 1999-2000, and the Cowboys are hopeful Johnson, like Spellman a former Bear, will do the same. And it doesn’t hurt to have player counselor Calvin Hill around to make sure Johnson walks the line and has someone to talk to when the urge to slap around a cop or buy an assault rifle hits him.